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(No Model.)

A. E. BRIGGS. BRACKET AND SUPPORTING DEVICE FOR I iAILINGrS.

Patented Apr. '19, 1892.

v arm D, which extends UNITE STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR E. BRIGGS, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE POST & COM- PANY, OF SAME PLACE.

BRACKET AND SUPPORTING DEVICE FOR RAILINGS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 473,376, dated April 19, 1892. Application filed November 11, 1891. Serial No. 411,599. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ARTHUR E. BRIGGS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cincinnati, county of Hamilton, State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Brackets and Supporting Devices for Railings, &c., of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a bracket or supporting device for railings, balustrades, &c.; and it consists, essentially, of a supportingarm with suitable means for attachment to a wall, counter, 'or bar at one end and at the other end provided with a compressible split collar, which forms a seating for the meeting ends of the rail-sections. In such constructions it is common to employ metallic brackets, generally of brass, and to use in connection therewith wooden rails or bars extending from bracket to bracket in such a manner as to stand outwardly from the wall or piece of furniture to which they are attached for the purpose of affording protection to the same. Heretofore in such constructions it has been customary to employ an outwardly and upwardly extending arm provided with a collar, into which and through which the rail or rails were placed. It often occurs, however, that the timber of the rail or rails which are employed have been improperly seasoned, and the consequent shrinkage will cause a loosening at the seating of the rail in the collar of the bracket-arm, and it is this disadvantage which has heretofore obtained in such structures which my present invention is designed to obviate, and which I will now proceed particularly to describe in connection with the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, and in which- Figure I represents a'rear view of my improved bracket, showing the two ends of the meeting rails in position within the same. Fig. II represents a side elevation of my improved bracket with the rails removed.

In the drawings, A and B represent the two rails, and a 17 their meeting ends, which meeting ends are located within the collar 0 of the bracket. This collar 0 is provided with an outwardly and upwardly from the wall or counter E and to which it is attached by any suitable means,

as by screws F, extending through the fiat portion or face G of the bracket. The collar 0 is subdivided at a point G (see Fig. I) and extends downwardly therefrom in two sections I and J, each of which is a part or continuance of the main body of the collar 0. The collar 0, with its two extensions or fingers I and J, being made of metal, are to a certain extent compressible, and are made so for the purpose of yielding to the draw of the screws K and L whenit is desired to tighten the collar or collars around the ends a b of the meeting rails A B. The purpose of this invention will therefore be seen. When the rails A B are inserted into the collar of the bracket and are by means of screws K and L secured from turning and place, the construction of the rail is completed. If, however, any shrinkage of either of the wooden rails takes place from time to time and exhibits a tendency to become loose in the collar, the screws K or L, as the case may be, may be tightened and take up the shrinkage of the timber. It will also be seen that where the one timber or rail has a greater shrinkage than its fellow or meeting rail the division of the collar 0 into parts I and J permits of separate adjustment and each can be loosened or tightened irrespective and independent of the other.

Having thus described my invention, the

following is what I claim as new therein and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A bracket or support for railings, &c., consisting of an outwardly-extending arm and a compressible split or divided collar, so as to provide separate adjustment to the meeting ends of the rail-sections.

4 2. In a bracket for supporting railings, balustrades, &c., the combination of the outwardlyand upwardly extending arm D and the collar 0, subdivided at H, as shown, and provided with separate extensions I and J, all arranged as and for the purposes set forth.

- ARTHUR E. BRIGGS. 

